1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an in-motion starting gate, particularly useful for horse racing.
2. Prior Art Relating to the Disclosure
With the exception of sulkey racing, the horses in a horse race are generally started from a standstill. It is difficult to maintain a group of high-strung, nervous race horses at a standstill in a starting gate for any length of time. For that reason there are many aborted starts. The concept of starting horses with an in-motion starting gate in which the horses are in motion at the time they are released from the starting gate is known; however, such in-motion starting gates have not been entirely satisfactory. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,793,613 and 2,808,026 disclose in-motion starting gates wherein side-by-side stalls of the starting gate are carried by a stationary frame structure. The stalls are movable relative to the stationary frame structure a short distance in the direction the horses are to run. Movement of the stalls puts the horses positioned in the stalls in uniform motion at the time of release. U.S. Pat. No. 2,556,531 discloses a gate pivotally mounted to a vehicle and a hydraulic system for swinging the gate about its pivotal connection to the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,150,828 discloses a starting gate for horses wherein the gate is pivotally secured to a tractor moving alongside the track. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 017,150 filed Mar. 2, 1979, entitled "Starting Gate", filed in the name of the inventor hereof, also discloses an in-motion starting gate wherein the gate is pivotally connected at one end to a fifth-wheel power means for moving the gate, the power means including outriggers mounted to extend into contact with the frame and to maintain the gate from pivoting about its connection to the vehicle so that when the vehicle is moved, the frame structure of the gate is moved along with the vehicle and in the same direction but at right angles thereto.